Norberto James Rawlings

Norberto James Rawlings (San Pedro de Macorís, February 6, 1945) is a poet of Afro-Caribbean descent from the Dominican Republic’s 60s Generation. His poetry speaks with intimacy of everyday life in his country’s multicultural society.[1][2][3]

Early years

Norberto James Rawlings was born on the sugar plantation of Ingenio Consuelo, San Pedro de Macorís, and grew up in an English-speaking minority community descended from African slaves, known pejoratively as cocolos by the Spanish-speaking Dominicans. His early years were marked by daily struggles as well as exposure to American culture in an impoverished cocolo village of sugar cane workers. In the sixties, Norberto James moved to Santo Domingo to complete secondary school at Liceo Unión Panamericana where he excelled in track and field.[4] His growing political militancy sent him into political exile under the guise of foreign study at the University of Havana, Cuba where he earned his Licenciatura in Language and Literature. In 1979, Norberto James returned to the Dominican Republic.

1980 to present

In 1983, Norberto James Rawlings came to Boston, Massachusetts to complete graduate studies at Boston University where he received his doctoral degree in 1992. Following his graduation he taught Spanish language and literature at institutions in the Boston area including the Boston Latin School until his retirement at age 65. He continues to write and publish books of poetry.

Books of poetry

His first book of poetry from 1969, "Sobre la marcha" ("On the March"), contains one of the most iconic Dominican poems of the twentieth century, “The Immigrants.”[5] The books of poetry to follow in later years, beginning with "La Urdimbre de Silencio", ("At the Threshold of Silence)" offer a wide-ranging reflection on the world beyond the island of his birth, voiced with the poignant longing of an expatriate.[6]

Works
  • Sobre la marcha. Santo Domingo: Ediciones Futuro, 1969.
  • La provincia sublevada. Santo Domingo: Editora Taller, 1972.
  • Vivir. Santo Domingo: Editora Amigo del Hogar, 1981.
  • Hago constar. Santo Domingo: Editora Taller, 1983.
  • Obras 1969-2000. Santo Domingo: Consejo Presidencial de Cultura, 2000.
  • Poesía 1969-2000. Prólogo de Néstor E. Rodríguez. Santo Domingo: Ediciones Cielonaranja, 2011.

References
  1. "CCE invita a concierto "14 poemas y mi vaso verde"". Metro Republica Dominicana (in Spanish). Retrieved 2017-07-29.
  2. "Feria del Libro 2016 trae 30 escritores de la diáspora y tiene un perfil nuevo". 7dias.com.do. Archived from the original on 2018-08-01. Retrieved 2017-07-29.
  3. "Ministerio de Cultura pondrá en circulación 41 obras literarias en la Feria del Libro". Noticias SIN (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 2017-07-30. Retrieved 2017-07-29.
  4. «"Norberto James Rawlings" Consultado el 2 de diciembre de 2016.
  5. «"James J. Davis: Entrevista con el dominicano Norberto James Rawlings" Consultado el 2 de diciembre de 2016.
  6. «"Miguel D. Mena: "La urdimbre del silencio” de Norberto James Rawlings"" Consultado el 2 de diciembre de 2016.
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